The Golden Ocean

Patrick O'Brian

Peter Palafox, the son of a poor Irish clergyman, has never been more
than a day's journey from his native village. But he wangles a place as a
midshipman on Anson's Centurion and sets off to brave storms, raid the
Spanish, and circumnavigate the world. Such is the plot of The Golden
Ocean, a high-spirited seafaring yarn which celebrates adventure and
youthful exuberance and which will delight children as well as adults.
Written by Patrick O'Brian before his acclaimed Aubrey/Maturin novels,
it exhibits a similar ability to transport the reader to another time
and place and a similarly convincing feel for period detail.